Emirates Environmental Group proposes the formation of a Corporate Social Responsibility network Dubai Media City to embark on a special initiative to encourage the adoption of cutting edge printing technologies in the region

Injazat Technology Fund and Omnix International announce new partnership in digital media solutions in the Middle East

Omnix Media Networks (OMN) poised to be a leading technology solution provider to hospitality, government and enterprise markets in the region.

December 17, 2003

Injazat Technology Fund, the premier venture capital firm in the MENA region, has partnered with Omnix International to further strengthen Omnix's new digital media solutions venture, Omnix Media Networks (OMN). Positioned as a key Audiovisual and Information Technology (IT) solution provider in the region, OMN stands to benefit from the professional alliances and strengths of the new relationship. This was announced at a press conference held yesterday evening (Tuesday, December 16, 2003) at the Fairmont Hotel, Dubai.

Injazat Technology Fund has invested US$ 5 million against 31% shareholding in OMN. OMN's projected return on investment exceeds US$ 40 million in the first year of operations. The company will focus on providing turnkey Information Technology and Audiovisual solutions for hospitality, government and enterprise businesses in the Middle East. It will have its headquarters in Dubai Media City, UAE, and affiliate offices in Canada and across the Middle East.

"Injazat Technology Fund was set up with a firm commitment to contribute to the growth and development of the technology sector in the Middle East. To achieve this purpose, we have and continue to invest in several established regional IT solution providers. Injazat's contribution goes beyond financing. We focus on actively helping the subsidiary company grow and develop its market presence through assistance in creating strategic opportunities, incorporating corporate governance into their business management and generally optimizing their returns", stated Dr Ali Soliman, Chairman of the Board, Injazat Technology Fund.

"Omnix International's known strengths in this sector made it an ideal partner for this new venture. OMN will aim at reaching out to a wider base of businesses in the region, thus aiding many local economies to incorporate information technology-based systems in their daily operations", added Hussein Rifai, Chief Executive Officer, Injazat Technology Fund.

"Omnix International is pleased to join hands with Injazat in Omnix Media Networks, as this will further emphasise our long term strategy of becoming the premier information technology solutions provider for the Middle East region. Omnix is an established name in the field of information technology solutions and through our tie-up with Injazat, we will be able to explore new growth opportunities. OMN will focus on delivering innovative and integrated solutions to customers in the Middle East", said Jamal Abu Issa, President, Omnix International.

Omnix International has established itself as a recognised leader in the design, integration and maintenance of integrated technology systems, providing end-to-end solutions and services. The company has always been focussing on providing to its customers specialized turnkey solutions in a variety of fields such as Document Management, Professional Audio-visual, Financial & Performance Management, Content Management & Process Automation, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Internet-based Application, Virtual Reality and Visualisation. In addition, it provides professional consulting, project management and integration, design and engineering and strategic relations services.

Injazat Technology Fund is a US$ 50 million Venture Capital Fund operating in compliance with Shari'a principles and targeting technology companies within the MENA region under the motto, 'From the region, For the region'. The Fund was initiated by the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), an affiliate of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), by Gulf Finance House (GFH), in partnership with Dubai Islamic Bank, Saudi Economic and Development Company (SEDCO) and Iran Foreign Investment Corporation (IFIC).

Organisers of Drupa 2004, the largest international show for print and media technology, eyes Middle East companies

Dubai Media City to embark on a special initiative to encourage the adoption of cutting edge printing technologies in the region

Dubai, December 6, 2003

Messe Düsseldorf, organizers of the leading global print, media, publishing and converting technologies fair, have announced that Drupa 2004, to be held from May 6 to 19, 2004 in Düsseldorf, Germany, will host the launch of revolutionary new optimum workflow solutions, as well new technologies in the field of computer-to-plate and digital printing. Speaking at a press conference held in Dubai today (Saturday, December 6, 2003), Mr. Siegbert Holderried, Dept. Managing Director, Association of German Manufacturers of Printing and Paper Equipment and Supplies (VDMA) said that the 13th edition of the event will focus on showcasing "All-in" solutions that demonstrate the possibilities of integrating the various new innovations in the printing technology field into single, optimised total workflow chains.

"A mega trend at Drupa 2004 promises to be the digital workflow that pilots integrated production. Its objective is to streamline the entire order process, as well as linking up and automating the individual production stages," added Holderried. "Another trend to be highlighted at the event will be the development of "All-in" solutions. The suppliers of printing and converting machinery, as well as software developers will no longer provide isolated demonstrations of their machinery and products. Instead complete solutions on exhibit will allow visitors to analyse the potential of cutting-edge innovations, individually and integrated into the complete workflow chain. In essence, the challenge of integrating technologies and the various stages of the print processes have shifted from the potential user to the developers and suppliers of innovative technologies."

Speaking at the conference, Mr. Mohammed Bin Ghaleb, Project Director, Dubai Media City (DMC), endorsed the important contribution made by Drupa in providing information and hands-on analysis about cutting-edge printing technologies entering the markets. He indicated that DMC is keen to strengthen its ties with the German printing industry and expected it to have a high profile participation in its new initiative to encourage the adoption of cutting-edge printing technologies in the region.

"The printing industry continues to be a strong and indispensable part of the emerging knowledge economy. Recognizing this key role of the printing industry, Dubai Media City embarked on an initiative earlier this year to strengthen this sector in the region by creating a specialized environment and infrastructure for its development," said Ghaleb. "The new International Media Production Zone in DMC responds to the need for media companies to have specialized production facilities. While the Zone will cater to all media sectors, its first production cluster will focus on the printing industry. We believe the International Media Production Zone offers considerable opportunities for German companies to leverage cost efficiencies and business incentives by operating here."

"The printing industry in Dubai plays a very important role in the national economy. We estimate that this industry is ranked 5th or 6th for its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country," said Mr. Ahmed Bin Hassan Al Sheikh, Chairman, Printers Association of the UAE. "Established in the 1950s, the printing industry in UAE combines the use of cutting edge technologies with experienced printing professionals, thus becoming capable of delivering high quality results. The cost of a printing project executed locally is up to 20 per cent lower than if done in Europe. This has encouraged numerous international companies to bring their business to the regional printing industry. The Printers Association aims to increase its presence at Drupa 2004, as it expects to witness, firsthand, the launch of numerous new technologies for the industry."

Drupa 2004 will focus on the themes of cross-industry digitalization, automation in the classical printing methods, digital printing processes and integrated production through workflow networks. The event will also feature, for the first time, a programme of workshops, seminars and presentations, as well as guided tours of the fair. The drupa innovations arena, the software innovation park and the dynamic document park are expected to provide visitors with the opportunity to compare and analyse parallel and synchronous new technologies at a single spot.

Amongst the technology launch highlights for the 13th edition of the fair, will be UV exposure units that allow the step-by-step computer-to-plate process without raising the cost of the production of plates. Concentrated presentations, seminars and workshops will help the trade visitor to compare the potential of violet and thermo techniques of computer-to-plate technology. The trade visitors will also have the opportunity, to examine the compatibility of these technologies within the total workflow chain and decide whether the plate exposure units are mature for the market.

The press conference was also addressed by Volker Ohl, Project Manager, Drupa 2004. Stressing on the international nature of the fair, Ohl announced that while the exhibition space for the 2004 edition of the fair was already booked out, the organisers have also announced the dates for the 14th edition of the fair that will be held from May 29 to June 11, 2008.

"With financial experts and industry observers all predicting a gradual upturn in the print media and media industry for 2004, it becomes imperative for print and media technology users to keep themselves informed of the latest development in the field. Use of out-of-date technologies will not only mean higher production costs, but also ensure that loss of place to competitors in the media industry," said Ohl. "In the Middle East, and especially in the UAE, we have noted the trend for the adoption of industry leading technologies in every sphere of life. In keeping with this, the printed product originating from the region is usually the result of sophisticated printing procedures."

"The importance of the Middle and Near East markets and the significance of the trade cooperation between Germany and the UAE have been underlined effectively by the growing mutual relations between the two countries. To illustrate, the latest foreign trade figures for 2001 indicate that the Non-oil import and export between Germany and the UAE combined, touched nearly Dhs 8.5 billion, and this figure is expected to rise with increased participation between the two countries vis a vis exhibitions," said Bassel Amaneddine, UAE representative, Messe Düsseldorf.

"In order to raise international awareness about the UAE printing industry, it is imperative to further strengthen and intensify the UAE presence at these events. This will also complement the fact that the German industry presence in the Middle East exhibitions, particularly in the UAE, is among the most visible," added Amaneddine.

The drupa fair is held every four years, and the last event in 2000, attracted 428,248 trade visitors, 47 per cent of which were international visitors coming from countries across the globe. Of the 1,943 exhibitors from 50 countries, 1,178 were international exhibitors that included large corporations, start-ups and small and medium enterprises.